SoTL Journal Club (May 7, 2013)

Selected article for our discussion:

• Felten, P. (2013). Principles of good practice in SoTL. Teaching and Learning Inquiry: The ISSOTL Journal, 1(1), 121-125.

Some pointers for discussion:

Q1.Do you support the author's premise that: "For the scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) to be understood as significant intellectual work in the academy, SoTL practitioners need to identify shared principles of good practice"? Why or why not? Is there value in having shared principles for SoTL work? Why or why not?

Q2. Do you think that the author's five espoused principles for SoTL work (inquiry into student learning, grounded in context, methodologically sound, conducted in partnership with students, and appropriately public) fully encompass the diverse field of SoTL? Why or why not? What principles would you alter or add? Why? What makes the author's five espoused principles for SoTL different or unique from good research principles?

Q3. In a discussion of the principle of SoTL being methodologically sound, the author cites the work of Bass & Linkon, 2008, in mentioning "arguments in favor of discipline-specific methods continue to resonate" (p. 123). Do you agree that there should be discipline-specific SoTL methods? Why or why not? What would these look like as distinct from other research methods?

Q4. In a discussion of the principle of SoTL being conducted in partnership with students, the author states: "While full partnership may not be practical or appropriate in all SoTL projects, good practice requires engaging students in the inquiry process" (p. 123). From your own experience, do you think that engagement of students in SoTL inquiries (in full or in part) actually occurs? If so, can you provide some examples? If you don't think it occurs, why not?